7-year-old girl steals neighbor’s Husky from backyard in broad daylight — owner stunned by what she left behind to cover it up

Some people hold special bonds with animals who may not even be theirs. But have you heard of someone stealing their neighbor's dog? That’s exactly what happened when 7-year-old Olivia Myers took matters into her own hands, walking off with a Husky, Gunnar, in broad daylight and leaving the owner completely stunned by what she left behind. The video posted on TikTok by @corporalgunnar has so far amassed 122,000 likes from viewers.

Olivia Myers has been best friends with her neighbor's 11-year-old pup, Gunnar, for the past two years. Thirty-eight-year-old Amanda Sullian, Gunnar’s owner, has always admired the friendship between the two. Olivia never misses a day to play with her favourite dog, and it's often a running joke between Amanda and Olivia about who the real owner is. Although Olivia has threatened to "steal" Gunnar before, Amanda has always laughed it off. Unbeknownst to her, Olivia really meant it, and she sure made it happen!

Caught on Amanda's surveillance camera, on a bright day, Olivia was seen sneaking into the backyard and laying a stuffed toy beside Gunnar's spot. She was later seen calling Gunnar from the yard and taking him outside to play. Funnily, Amanda was watching all this from her surveillance camera and did not mind the two playing. Amanda told the New York Post, "When I got an alert from my backyard camera and saw what she was doing, I thought I’d let her play it out. I was laughing inside the house, which I think Gunnar heard, which explains why he was so hesitant to go with her."

A few minutes later, Amanda saw the two best friends playing, and she confronted the little girl about leaving a stuffed animal in the place of her Husky. Turns out, Olivia changed the dog's collar too. However, the whole situation was quite familiar to both of them, since Amanda never worried about Olivia playing with her pet. "I could see everything happening, and they play together so often that I know they’ll be OK," she added.

According to MDPI, a 2023 study found that children who interact with animals, including neighborhood pets, often develop stronger empathy and social skills. While relationships with pets can improve social skills and compassion, the study shows that they have a limited effect on expanding peer networks.

The video, captioned "She stole my dog in broad daylight! Can you believe that?! When your 7-year-old neighbor just wants a play date with her dog bestie...she steals him and leaves behind a replacement," quickly gathered people in support of the little thief. @thebom21 joked, "That’s just too cute, I mean, at least she left you a replacement." @ash754499 commented, "Parents need to get that baby girl a dog. She has a whole plan laid out." @blueeyedaquarius wrote, "You can’t be mad at her at all! She loves your dog and your dog enjoys it."

For more pet-related videos, follow @corporalgunnar on TikTok.